If you plan to take the step of buying a company car, then you will of course have to insure it with commercial auto insurance. You might even find, if you finance the vehicle, that your lender will require you to buy physical damage insurance. It will be there to help you cover the costs of vehicle damage from any number of unexpected damages, and one component of coverage is called collision insurance.
It’s easy to understand why your vehicle lender might require you to buy physical damage insurance, but even if this coverage isn’t mandatory for you, it’s still important to have. In the end, it will help you significantly reduce the caused burden, caused by vehicle damage, that your business might face.
When Does Collision Insurance Help Businesses
Collision insurance comes as part of your commercial auto policy’s physical damage coverage. It is designed specifically for the purpose of helping you make vehicle repairs when you strike another object while driving. It might apply in several situations:
- Your business truck backs into a wall, creating damage to the rear of the vehicle. Your driver simply did not see the wall.
- Your driver is unable to stop in an accident on a roadway. He or she strikes another car. Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle. Your liability insurance covers damage to another party’s vehicle.
- A vehicle tumbles down the side of the roadway because the driver did not park it properly. The damage is significant. The coverage applies here.
Essentially, if damage occurs to your vehicle while you are driving it, then collision coverage will be able to step in. However, it does not cover vehicles when they are damaged by hazards like fires, severe weather, hail, flooding or vandalism. In this situation, separate physical damage benefits called comprehensive damage coverage will apply.
Do You Have Enough Coverage?
You naturally want your collision coverage to pay as much as possible for your vehicle’s damage following an accident. You also want to use it to pay for a new vehicle in case your present vehicle is totaled by an accident. In either case, you might not be compensated based on 100% of the value of the expenses.
Deductibles will apply to collision claims. If the cost of your damage falls below the value of your policy deductible, then your plan won’t even cover the cost of your claims.
If a commercial vehicle is deemed a total loss following a wreck, your commercial auto policy will likely pay you based on either a vehicle’s actual cash value (its used value at the time of the wreck) or based on replacement cost value (the value of a like-new car).
With commercial auto insurance, it is important to have very specific coverage to meet your needs. Take a closer look at what coverage is best for your company. Work with your agent to get a specific level of protection in place to minimize any risk.